FG Targets April Completion for Abuja-Kaduna Highway, Work Rate Hits 80%

• NUJ leadership, works ministry tour road projects in Abuja

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The federal government yesterday reaffirmed its commitment to completing the Abuja-Kaduna highway by the end of April, following the termination of the previous contract handled by Julius Berger Nigeria Plc and its re-award to Infouest Nigeria Limited.

The Controller of Works, Federal Ministry of Works, Chukuma Kalu, said the decision to re-award the contract was necessary to fast-track the delivery of the strategic road, described as the “heartbeat of the nation.”

He explained that the road was redesigned from asphalt pavement to rigid pavement, specifically Continuous Reinforced Concrete Pavement (CRCP), to ensure durability and longevity.

According to him, the road serves as a vital artery linking the north-central and north-west regions to Abuja and connecting Lagos to the northern part of the country. He noted that infrastructure development remains a priority under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Providing an update, Kalu said the re-completion of the outstanding sections was awarded in two lots under Section One.

He said the project includes a 40.5-kilometre dual CRCP stretch, totalling 81 kilometres, a 17.3-kilometre asphalt section linking the Kano-Zaria road, and a 6.63-kilometre dual asphalt wearing course overlay in Kano State.

He added that out of the 81 kilometres of CRCP, 60 kilometres have been completed, leaving 21 kilometres to be delivered before the end of April. “We work in the daytime and we also work at night to make sure we meet our targets of completing 81 kilometres by the end of April,” he said.

On his part, the Senior Project Manager, Infouest Nigeria Limited, Robert Turner, said the company is working round the clock to meet the deadline. “At the moment, we are basically on 80 per cent of where we should be for Section One. We’re working day and night shifts to make up for our time and to make it as less inconvenient for the public as possible,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council, Grace Ike, has commended the Minister of Works, David Umahi, for engaging journalists in an on-the-spot assessment of ongoing road projects, describing the move as a strong signal of transparency and accountability.

Ike spoke after a media tour of the Nyanya–Mararaba–Keffi road corridor, a critical axis linking the Federal Capital Territory to Nasarawa State.

According to her, the expansion of the road has long dominated national discourse due to the heavy traffic congestion and hardship faced by commuters.

“I’m particularly happy with the ongoing construction, knowing full well that the expansion of this particular road has been on the front burner of national discourse.

“I believe this is going to ameliorate the suffering of the common man. It will ease congestion, reduce travel time and create opportunities for economic development, not just for the people of Nasarawa and its environs, but Nigeria at large,” she stated.

She, however, stressed the need for proper maintenance and adherence to standards. “Well-built and properly maintained roads directly impact safety. Aside from safety, they also ensure commerce and improve the daily lives of citizens. Quality matters so much. They must not go against standard,” Ike said.

The tour also featured the commissioning of a special intervention project in Bwari Area Council, part of an emergency works programme initiated in 2024 to address critically failed sections of roads nationwide.

The 1.1-kilometre Child Care Trust Road, awarded to Gerawa Global Engineering Limited in February 2024 and completed within three months, included pavement rehabilitation, drainage construction and asphalt overlay.

The project was among priority interventions identified from over 2,000 inherited projects, and is expected to boost safety and economic activities within Bwari and adjoining communities.